Hello, Stranger : Привет, Незнакомец : アンニョン！君の名は
by Kid Al
Summary: In which Nozomi visits Russia for the first time and finds herself frequently bumping into a stranger by the name of Eli. Alternatively: The five times Nozomi rolls with the flow of things, and the one time she tries to take matters into her own hands. Nozomi-centric. AU. One-shot.


Disclaimer: I own nothing. Even the title is borrowed from a 2010 Thai film produced by Banjong Pisanthanakun.

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**1**

She bit her bottom lip in order to hold her frustration in. Her green eyes darted about to glance at her surroundings before returning to the deck of tarot cards in hand. She would shuffle her deck over and over again but the answers that she drew from them weren't helpful in the least. For whatever reason, her Higher Self wasn't very keen on guiding her to a decision at the moment.

Nozomi sighed, resigning herself to the fact that she was on her own for now. She slipped the deck of cards into her pocket and looked up to study her surroundings. Though the high-rise buildings around her weren't much different from the sights that she has seen back home in Japan, the streets signs in the area were indecipherable to her.

'_Welcome to Russia,'_ thought Nozomi to herself, very much aware that she was quite lost.

Her trip to Russia had been a spontaneous decision on her part. She was browsing through some online videos just the other day when she was hit by a case of wanderlust – an itch to travel that grew into a yearning over the next couple of days. It was when she came across an advertisement in the daily paper regarding discounted flights that Nozomi's mind was made; she was making a trip to Russia.

She wrote to her parents for permission – citing her idle days post-high school graduation as the perfect window period to experience the world, and throwing in about a hundred assurances about her safety and ability to manage herself abroad. And once her parents gave her the green light to proceed, Nozomi promptly applied for a visa.

Having practically lived on her own since the start of her high school days, it was very clear to Nozomi what her priorities were: accommodation, food and allowances. While her visa application was being processed, Nozomi made the necessary arrangements. During that time, she also threw herself into reading a couple of guidebooks as well as saving up from her part-time job. She was serious about making the trip overseas, and she wasn't afraid to work hard for it.

But here she was, alone in Russia on the very first day of her week-long adventure with not much of an idea on how to proceed. Nozomi cursed her foolishness; despite all of her preparation (or, perhaps, because of it), she never once factored in the probability of finding herself in such a situation.

So caught up was she in her predicament that she failed to realise that a stranger had approached her till a fair-haired beauty was right in front of her. The young woman was speaking to her but every word that left the blonde's lips flew right over Nozomi's head. Despite her decent grades in the subject, Nozomi could hardly converse in English as it is; trying to understand Russian was completely out of the question.

In somewhat broken English, Nozomi stuttered out: _[I am sorry; I am unable to understand you.]_

To Nozomi's surprise, the stranger opposite her looked amused; her blue eyes twinkled merrily with mirth.

"Are you sure about that?" asked the blonde. "I was under the impression that I was speaking Japanese."

Nozomi had the decency to blush in response.

"I'm sorry," she said. "It's just that… I'm not very confident about speaking in English – much less Russian – and the idea of having to converse with someone in a foreign language just had me overwhelmed."

The stranger agreed, saying, "I understand what you mean. But now that we're past the whole language barrier thing, what seems to be the problem, miss? I couldn't help but notice that you looked a little unsure about the place."

Nozomi licked her lips, stalling a little before making her decision. Could she trust an unfamiliar person with her problem? Would it be safe to? Sure, the blonde looks sincere enough about wanting to help but Nozomi couldn't say for sure…

Wait – _what was she thinking?_

Here she stood, second-guessing the intentions of someone who was gracious enough to approach her and offer her some help – and probably wasting the kind stranger's time while she was at it. Besides, it couldn't hurt to be open to some suggestions, right?

With her mind made up, Nozomi revealed that she was a bit stumped on what to do next. Sure, there was a guidebook in her bag, but she was having a little trouble finding her way around the place now that she was actually in the country.

The stranger nodded in understanding before pausing for a moment. She stroked at her chin, frowning slightly as she thought.

"Ah!" the blonde finally exclaimed. "Why don't you start by visiting St Basil's Cathedral? It _is_ one of the more famous landmarks in the Russian Federation, and it's pretty nearby as well. Would you like some directions on how to get there?"

Nozomi nodded eagerly, thanking the person for her kindness. The stranger then began rolling out some detailed instructions before having Nozomi recite them. She would repeat her advice and have Nozomi repeat after her till she was pretty certain that Nozomi would find the place just fine.

"You're welcome," said the blonde in response to Nozomi's word of thanks. "I've got to go now; my family's waiting for me further up ahead. I hope that you would find your time here plenty enjoyable."

Once they've traded goodbyes, the stranger turned around to leave. It was then that a curiosity gripped Nozomi. The question left her lips before she could stop it.

"Wait a moment. How did you know that I was Japanese?"

The young woman paused long enough to flash Nozomi a smile and supply her with an answer.

"Well," she began, "there's a flight tag that is still attached to your bag. I caught a glimpse of the print on it when I first approached you."

And once again, Nozomi could feel a familiar prickling feeling right up to the tips of her ears. The stranger laughed heartily and waved goodbye. Nozomi responded with a wave of her own, determined to get rid of said tag the moment the blonde was out of sight.

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**2**

**{Past : The Fool – Present : The Sun – Future : The Wheel of Fortune}**

Nozomi sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. Those cards weren't very helpful at all. It was reassuring to know that the decisions that she has made in the past would bring her great potential, and that there are beneficial changes to come, but that didn't really provide her with much of an answer at the moment. Perhaps she should just be more direct with her question:

'_Should I have lunch here?'_

**{The Knight of Cups – Yes}**

She blinked in surprise, looking up towards the bustling fast food restaurant and then back to her card. There was nothing wrong with the restaurant, of course, but it wasn't exactly a place that she would go to on her own accord. Nozomi wasn't really a fan of fast food, and she was even less fond of crowded places. She felt less in touch with her Higher Self in overly-packed places, which wasn't too surprising given the high level of activity around her.

Repeating her question silently, Nozomi shuffled her deck of tarot cards once again and drew out a card.

**{The Six of Pentacles – Yes}**

Nozomi bit the inside of her cheek. She shrugged, guessing that it couldn't be helped. The traveller then entered the establishment, sincerely hoping that her cards have not led her astray…

Yet, a twinge of regret was felt when she caught a glance of the menu. The fare offered was alright in Nozomi's opinion, but for some inexplicable reason, she felt a whole lot less hungry as compared to a moment ago. For once, Nozomi was thankful of the long queue – it gave her some time to decide on what to get. She eventually retreated to a small table for two with a cup of tea and a sweet crêpe – блин (_blin)_, she reminded herself.

She nibbled a little bit off the end of her _blin_ before placing her deck of cards on table. A series of quick readings reaffirmed her suspicion; she was on her own here on out. With a small sigh of defeat, Nozomi put her cards away and pulled out her guidebook in its stead. She might as well get some reading done in the meantime.

It wasn't long before she detected a presence pausing at the side of her table. She caught a glimpse of the person's legs in her peripheral vision and deduced that the passer-by was most likely a female. Nozomi paid the person little heed; the person would most likely move along in a moment's time.

_[Umm, excuse me, miss?] _said the person is mostly-fluent English. _[May I please share a table with you? Everywhere else is full…]_

Nozomi looked up to find a young lady holding a laden tray by her table's side. There was a paper bag full of groceries wedged between herself and the crook of her arm. Nozomi was caught off guard when a look of recognition flitted across the stranger's face.

"Ah! It's good to see you again," said the stranger. "I'm not sure if you remember me but –"

"You're the one who helped me out the other day!" exclaimed Nozomi. They exchanged a smile before Nozomi added, "Of course we can share a table. Please have a seat."

The young woman thanked Nozomi before introducing herself. "Ayase Eli. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise, Ayase-han. I'm Toujou Nozomi, by the way," replied Nozomi. "If you don't mind me asking, Ayase-han… How did you recognise me so quickly? I'm really sorry but I could hardly recognise you."

"Well," said Eli, "to be honest, it is pretty rare to come across an Asian woman with eyes like yours; they really stood out to me the other day – that was meant as a compliment, of course, Toujou-san. And the fact that you've put your hair in the same way as back then helped as well."

Nozomi nodded, and Eli asked if the traveller had enjoyed the sights at St Basil's Cathedral. The two women shared their meal and some small talk together. Ayase-han, Nozomi decided over the course of their conversation, seemed really mature. Nozomi was held under the impression that Eli was the elder of the two of them but it was revealed upon closer inspection that they were probably around the same age. That put Nozomi much more at ease around her acquaintance.

As they talked, Nozomi couldn't help but marvel at the odds of the situation. The chances of crossing paths with a complete stranger in a foreign land as large as the Russian Federation was undeniably slim after the first meeting; but, then again, Nozomi always did have rather interesting luck…

Ayase Eli proved to be a favourable companion in the short time that they spent together. She was a candid conversationalist, Nozomi realised, and was extremely charismatic to boot. They stuck to broad and open topics, but the fact that Eli was rather well-read shown even then. For the first time in her life, Nozomi very much enjoyed having someone to talk to. It was a nice change of pace given the challenging time that she has had struggling to communicate.

Nozomi ate a little slower than she usually did, trying to extend the conversation that they shared. However, it was inevitable that they would eventually finish their respective meals and part at the doorway, bidding each other a farewell before getting on with their lives.

Something dawned upon Nozomi as she continued on her journey by herself.

_The King of Cups_ that appeared before her the other day was starting to make sense in retrospect; it had encouraged her to take the advice of others. She had deemed the draw rather unhelpful back then but that was before Eli appeared, after all.

_Ayase Eli – _could she be the harbinger of the changes that Nozomi's cards foretold?

Nozomi shook her head to clear it of such thought. She was probably overthinking things again.

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**3**

The third day passed with Nozomi drifting along wherever the winds took her. She had an enjoyable time on her own seeking out marvellous sights but the need for her to visit someplace with great spiritual presence was growing stronger. Yes, she needed to find a place to refuel her spiritual power.

She was attracted to the serenity exuded by the nearby park. The cool air was highly refreshing; Nozomi loved the way that the breeze would wash over her. She might be out on her own but she didn't feel the least bit lonely. Lighter than air itself – that was probably the most apt description of her feelings that she could offer as she trailed along the well-worn path.

It led her to a tranquil part of the park, one with few people nearby. Nozomi took refuge under one of the trees. She shuffled her deck of tarot cards in her hands before placing them back into her pocket without drawing a single card. She didn't need her cards to tell her that she was right where she should be this time.

She settled against the base of the tree and withdrew her pocket novel from her bag. It was one of her favourites; she could read this book over and over again and not get sick of it. It was her trusty travelling companion – one that filled her with a sense of calm when she found herself in unfamiliar settings. She used to have it on her at all times back when she lived with her parents and had to move along with them when they did.

Embraced by the peaceful setting, it didn't come as a surprise to Nozomi when she found herself waking up from a rather refreshing nap. She hasn't a clue about the duration of her sleep but she must have been out for an undoubtedly long time; the clear blue sky of the afternoon had been replaced by the warm orange and pink of the evening.

What did surprise her, however, was the presence of a rather familiar figure who sat people-watching beneath the shade of the tree opposite Nozomi. Just across the way was Ayase Eli; Nozomi couldn't help but think that she looked absolutely exquisite basking in the glow of the setting sun.

"Oh, you're awake," said Eli the moment she noticed Nozomi stirring.

Nozomi hummed in response, still the tiniest bit groggy from her nap. With her guard down, a stray thought squeezed its way edgewise into Nozomi's head. _'Powder blue really brings out the colour of her eyes.'_

"I trust that you've had a nice nap, Toujou-san." There was the barest hint of teasing in Eli's voice.

Before she could stop herself, Nozomi mumbled, "Please call me by my given name: Nozomi."

It was when the blonde pursed her lips in thought that embarrassment finally caught up to the fortune-teller. There it was again, the heat that made its way to Nozomi's face as she became very much aware of herself. This was incredibly strange; Nozomi was neither bashful nor scatter-brained. Yet, she seemed to make a fool of herself whenever she bumped into Eli. This must be some sort of a running gag for the divine powers that be. If that was the case, Nozomi was probably a lot less amused about it than they were.

"Please pardon my slip-up, Ayase-han–"

"Eli," said the Eurasian girl firmly with a nod of her head. "I insist that you call me _Eli _if I am to address you by your given name, Nozomi-san."

Nozomi licked at her lips. Back home in Japan, it was rather unusual to call upon a person that one has just met with such familiarity. Perhaps things were different here in Russia? Would Nozomi offend her acquaintance if she retracted her earlier request?

"E-Eli-han…"

An unwelcomed warmth smouldered in her chest as the words tumbled off her lips uncertainly. Nozomi really hoped that her companion would mistake the pink in her cheeks as being a trick of the evening light. The purple-haired girl wanted to kick herself; why was she getting so worked up over nothing?

Nozomi ducked her head in order to hide her embarrassment but quickly looked up once again in response to Eli's voice.

"_Harasho?"_ Nozomi echoed.

Eli nodded. "Хорошо (_Khorosho_)."

_Khorosho_ – Nozomi's mind registered the word as meaning 'good,' if she remembered it correctly. She beamed in response to Eli's polite smile, making the blonde smile's brighten as a result.

The two of them talked for a bit. Nozomi learned that Eli would go for a run in the park every evening, hence the simple t-shirt and running shorts combo. It was by luck that she came across Nozomi on her usual trail. Eli's initial plan was to wake the sleeping figure before it got dark but she ended up lingering around the area once she recognised the napping person as Nozomi. She reckoned that she might as well keep an eye out for the sleeping girl.

"Say, Nozomi-san," began Eli out of the blue, "are you having dinner alone?"

Nozomi nodded.

"Would you like to have dinner with my family? I think you might have started missing the taste of Japanese food during your stay here."

Nozomi blinked in surprise. Yes, she has been missing Japanese food lately; and, yes, she would like to join Eli's family for dinner – but wouldn't she be intruding?

"Don't worry about it. I'm the one who invited you over, aren't I?" said Eli. She was sporting the most winsome smile that Nozomi has ever seen in her lifetime. It was in that moment that the image of _The Sun_ flashed across Nozomi's mind.

'The Sun,'she thought. _'An opportunity for friendship.'_

Convinced that this was what her cards have meant, Nozomi agreed.

"_Khorosho. _Let me just send a quick message home to let them know that I've got a guest with me."

They began their journey immediately after seeing as it was getting late. It wasn't long before they passed by the stalls that Nozomi had largely neglected on her way in. It was the sight of these stalls that triggered the memory of something Nozomi had read in her guidebook. She immediately asked Eli to wait up and rushed over to the nearby stall.

"Souvenirs?" asked Eli, puzzled yet amused.

Nozomi shook her head.

"Not at all," she replied, handing some money over to the vendor with a word of thanks. "It's just a little something for your family."

Eli sent her a wide-eyed gaze in response. "You shouldn't have spent so much on a gift for my family, you know?"

"Then what is it that Ericchi would prefer?" asked Nozomi, teasing the blonde. A whole second passed by before Nozomi realised that she had bestowed a nickname upon her acquaintance, and it was such an endearing one to boot. _Crap, how embarrassing_.

But if she was in the least bit fazed by Nozomi's slip of the tongue, Eli certainly didn't show it. Instead, she made a show of thinking by tapping a finger on her lip and humming to herself. In an equally playful tone, Eli quipped, "How about that book that you were reading? It looked really interesting."

Nozomi promptly fished the book out of her bag and held it out to Eli.

"Then take it, it's yours."

"I was just joking around, you know?"

"I know, but I insist…"

And thus began the bantering that would last for the entire way to Eli's place.

Eli's family was very warm, Nozomi soon found out; it was very much like her own family back when she used to live with them. Sure, her younger self was quite a loner at school, too tired of being hurt to actually try and make some friends, but her parents more than made up for that whenever she arrived home from school. It had been rather painful for her to part with her parents in order to complete high school without moving around but she had done so for her grades; the academic syllabus was increasingly demanding and she had university entrance exams to sit for.

"Please tell me more about yourself, Toujou-san."

The request pulled Nozomi right out of her thoughts. The elderly woman smiled at her kindly from across the table, blue eyes crinkling a little at the corners when she did. But before Nozomi could even think of what to say, Eli had interjected from her place by Nozomi's side.

"Nozomi-chan is from _Otonokizaka_, too, бабушка (_babushka_). She was my Vice-President; we worked very well together."

Now that caught Nozomi off-guard – and, no, it wasn't because Eli had referred to her so candidly, as if they were close friends. In truth, Nozomi had never even heard of that high school, much less attended it. So, why was Eli covertly sending her pleading looks to follow through with the false story?

Well, now that she has thought of it… Inviting a random person whom you've just met into your home was kind of unusual. For all that Eli knew, Nozomi could have been a murderer who struck when her victim's guard was down – not that she was, of course.

"Yes," supplied Nozomi. "Ericchi is a very kind and helpful friend – I am very lucky to have met her."

"And I can't help but notice that you tend to speak in dialect, Toujou-san," noted Eli's mother.

"My parents move around quite frequently due to their occupations, you see. We spent some time moving around the Kansai region," Nozomi explained.

Dinner carried on with plenty of conversation that revealed a great many things about Eli and her family.

Eli's grandmother, for example, had once lived in Japan after marrying a Japanese man but had returned to her homeland after Eli's grandfather's passing; Eli's family would visit her grandmother frequently though her father could not make it this time around due to some urgent business dealings.

And while the Ayase sisters were born in Japan, they had been raised by their grandmother here in Russia due to their parents' busy schedules. It was only after Eli pulled out of the local ballet academy that the two girls began living in Japan. That made sense to Nozomi; it was no wonder that Eli was so at ease here in Russia despite her deep knowledge of Japanese etiquette.

'Elicchika, why don't you show Toujou-san around tomorrow? You are familiar with the place, aren't you?" was Eli's mother's sudden request.

"Yes, mama, but shouldn't I be helping–"

Ayase-san waved her daughter off, saying: "You've been nothing but a help since your graduation from high school. Take some time off to catch up with your friend, dear; you push yourself too hard sometimes."

Eli looked down at her bowl of rice in consternation.

"Is that alright with you, Nozomi-chan?"

Nozomi smiled brightly in response, "I would love nothing more than that, Ericchi."

It had been a brilliant evening but Nozomi had to take her leave. There was a twinge in her chest when she said her goodbyes, but it was probably nothing in comparison to the alarm that Eli might have felt when the wizened matriarch of the family boldly insisted that Nozomi referred to her as '_babushka'_ as well. The sight of a dismayed Eli stuttering repeated apologies on her grandmother's behalf sent Nozomi in fits of giggles.

'_So Ericchi _can_ be embarrassed,' _Nozomi mused. _'I wonder what other sides are there to her…'_

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**4**

For the umpteenth time in the last couple days, Nozomi found herself sighing – but it was out of contentment this time around. The scenery here by the lake was incredibly picturesque, so much so that Nozomi wouldn't be surprised to find it on the back of a postcard.

"You really like the outdoors, don't you, Nozomi?" asked Eli with a tender smile.

Nozomi shook her head. "That's not it, Ericchi. I'm just pretty fond of power spots."

"Power spots?"

"A place steeped in spiritual power, Ericchi," supplied Nozomi. "Hey, how about I do a fortune reading for you, Ericchi? All that you would have to do is shuffle the cards and cut the deck; and it would be helpful if you have a question in mind when you do."

She then handed the cards over to Eli, who began shuffling them gingerly. It was pretty clear that Eli wasn't accustomed to the motions. The sight of it made Nozomi stifle a giggle; Eli – who was ever so calm and composed – looked so uncertain. It was actually quite an adorable sight but Nozomi would never say such a thing. It would be inappropriate, and she wouldn't dare risk a move that would discourage the part-Russian right now.

With Eli occupied, Nozomi's mind couldn't help but wander. It has been truly an amazing day thus far, and definitely the best one that she has spent in Russia. Hanging out with a person who knew this part of Russia intimately was vastly different from venturing around on her own; there were places that they've visited that hasn't even garnered so much as a mention in Nozomi's guidebook, but Eli never did lead her astray.

Nozomi's whirlwind of a day began with the shrill ringing of her room's landline telephone, signalling an early morning phone call from Eli. Once they've decided on when and where to meet, Nozomi was given instructions to a bookshop café around the corner. It was a quaint little place with antique décor. Nozomi fell in love with the place the moment she laid eyes on it.

They met up at the park from the day before with Nozomi gushing about the lovely little place where she had her breakfast. Eli pinked a little when Nozomi complimented her on being so thoughtful; the blonde merely waved it off, saying that she had taken the pocket novel of Nozomi's as an inspiration for her suggestion. They then began roaming the nearby streets.

Eli brought Nozomi to occult shops and Wiccan stores, having been under the impression that Nozomi might enjoy such places. Her choices did not disappoint, but it was soon apparent to Nozomi that Eli wasn't very comfortable with such places. Eli might not have been conscious of her nervous tic but Nozomi has caught the blonde brushing her fingers across the surface of her golden rosary necklace on more than one occasion. Nozomi then insisted they visit souvenir shops instead.

Their lunch consisted of street food, as unhealthy as that maybe. Nozomi's favourite, by far, was some truly delectable шашлы́к (_shashlik_) that was bought from a store that Eli used to frequent as a child. It wasn't exactly _yakiniku_ but Nozomi enjoyed it all the same. They retreated to a small café for parfaits once they've walked till they could walk no more. Eli mentioned that the chocolate parfait served there was one that she would crave when she was in Japan but Nozomi had deduced from Eli's choice of treats earlier in the day that Eli was crazy about chocolate in general.

The duo returned to the park as the last stop of the day, with Eli guiding Nozomi to a quiet area by a lake that Nozomi didn't even know existed. They spent their time here soaking in their surroundings and speaking in hushed whispers. It was rather silly of them to talk so softly but the tranquillity here seemed so delicate and ethereal; it felt sort of rude and irreverent to have loud conversation around these parts.

Maybe – just maybe – the wonderful day that Nozomi has had wasn't due to the brilliant guide that she has; couldn't it be due to the marvellous company instead? There was so much about Eli that Nozomi couldn't help but admire.

Eli, as it turned out, was rather academically gifted; they had been discussing their future plans when Eli mentioned having been offered a place at the University of Tokyo, though she wasn't sure if she should accept the offer. And as if the girl's brains weren't enough to have others turning green with envy, Eli was a naturally charismatic leader. There was also the fact that Eli, with her exquisite combination of silver-speckled blue eyes and golden corn-silk hair, was outrageously pretty (to amateur model levels, even) but that shouldn't matter to Nozomi, right?

A soft nudge from Eli brought Nozomi back to the present. She decided to go with a three card spread once the deck was handed back to her.

**{Past : The Chariot – Present : Strength – Future: The Sun}**

Nozomi spent a moment reading the cards before saying:

"These aren't bad cards, Ericchi. _The Chariot_ suggests that you've struggled in the past and are now stronger as a result of it. There's probably an opportunity around the corner that will allow you to succeed. The presence of _Strength _advises you not to turn down any offers that might change your future, and to be strong enough to trust where you will land. _The Sun_ compliments these other interpretations by suggesting that a life-changing moment would soon be upon you – one that will allow you to achieve a future of endless possibilities if you grasp it."

The dark-haired girl then offered Eli an encouraging smile.

"Thank you," said Eli politely though it was clear to all that the blonde was now deep in thought.

"You're welcome," replied Nozomi. "But don't worry too much about it, alright? Come on, let's enjoy the sunset instead; the view from here is mesmerising."

Nozomi's enthusiasm brought a smile to Eli's face. "I absolutely agree."

In silence, they watched as the day bled into night.

Despite having had the most magnificent time, Nozomi's heart dropped. She bit her lip and tangled her fingers in the blades of grass by her side in a bid to keep her bitterness in. There was a dull ache in her chest, reminding her of the reason behind her aloof personality as a child. All companionships came to an end, and Nozomi would always be left heartbroken when they did. It was foolish of her to have become so fond of someone though she knew that their time together was fleeting.

… And yet, Nozomi couldn't bring herself to regret getting to know Eli.

There wasn't a logical reason behind it: she just couldn't.

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**5**

Nozomi was pretty convinced that she was likely the favourite fool of some higher power for the time being.

Her last day in Russia was spent holed up in her room, alternating between packing and doodling in her guidebook with a pen provided by the budget hotel that she was staying it. She wrote in the margins of those pages, making small notes about the places that Eli had brought her to. Chances were that she would not be visiting Russia again but these were memories that she couldn't bear to forget.

Her hands clenched in her lap. She wasn't going to cry; she absolutely forbade herself to cry. Didn't she promise herself that she would no longer be emotional over farewells? Nozomi bit her lip and clenched her hands tighter, as if she was physically restraining her sorrow.

… And yet, a single droplet splashed upon the pages of her guidebook.

'_That's no good,'_ Nozomi chided herself, looking up and out the airplane's window.

"Ah! What a coincidence–" said a voice on her left. "Hey, are you alright, Nozomi?"

"E-Ericchi?" stuttered Nozomi, not quite believing the scene that was unfolding. She brushed her hand against her cheek in a quick motion in an effort to hide the tear track from Eli.

"Are you on this flight, too, Ericchi?"

Nozomi winced the moment she finished. She mentally berated herself over the dumb question. Of course Eli was on the same flight to Japan – why else would the girl be here in the plane?

Eli, however, merely hummed a yes. She pointed out that her family had seats a little ways in front of where Nozomi was seating; Eli had noticed Nozomi earlier when the Ayase family was making their way to their seats. The elder of the Ayase sisters thought that it would be courteous to come and say hello to Nozomi.

With the greeting over and done with, Eli returned to her seat. Nozomi looked up to find Arisa waving at her. Eli's mother, too, turned and sent a polite nod Nozomi's way. These small gestures made Nozomi's face light up with a bright smile; she waved back at them in return.

To her own dismay, Nozomi felt immensely comforted by their presence. Though she didn't manage to talk to them much, the trip home suddenly felt a lot less lonely. She cursed at her foolishness under her breath; didn't she resolve to never be attached to anyone ever again? So why was she feeling so elated over bumping into Eli on the flight home? That was all there was to their meeting: chance.

She was partway through the flight when Eli's mother approached her.

"Please excuse me, Toujou-san, but I was wondering if you would like to switch seats with me for the rest of the journey. Eli is fast asleep, I'm afraid, but Arisa is wide awake and eager to speak to you – if you don't mind, that is."

With wide green eyes, Nozomi nodded. She barely remembered to squeeze in a word of thanks to the woman before scampering off to where Arisa peeked from behind a seat, flagging Nozomi down with conspicuous waves.

Nozomi took the seat closest to the middle aisle of the plane and greeted Arisa politely. What she got as a response from the teenager was a small pout.

"_Mou_, Nozomi-neechan," fussed the girl with yellowish platinum blonde hair, "please refer to me as 'Arisa' instead of 'Ayase-han.' You're friends with my sister, aren't you? That makes us friends as well!"

The dark-haired girl blinked in surprise before breaking into a gentle smile, "If you insist, Arisa-chan."

Arisa beamed at the affectionate suffix. Nozomi took this as a chance to sneak a glance at Eli, who was napping on Arisa's other side. She couldn't see Eli's face, seeing as the blonde was facing the cabin's window, but it was obvious that Eli was peacefully asleep given her deep, even breathing. A black earpiece nestled in Eli's ear peeked out from behind the snoozing girl's golden hair.

"Nozomi-neechan?" said Arisa out of the blue, drawing Nozomi's attention toward the younger Ayase sister. The eldest of the trio flushed; had Arisa caught her staring?

"Thank you for being my sister's friend. I don't think I've seen onee-chan this happy for a long time."

What Arisa revealed threw Nozomi in for a loop.

"Ericchi isn't usually like this?"

Arisa shook her head. "She is, but it usually only around us – her family, I mean. To see her be so at ease around you suggests that you're someone that she holds really close to her heart. Onee-chan wouldn't admit it – she isn't one to talk in sentimental terms – but, as her sister, I can tell that it is so; sisters don't need words to understand one another at times, you know."

The younger girl then shot Nozomi a dazzling smile, blissfully unaware of the impact of her words. There was guilt in Nozomi's chest in addition to the off-rhythm pounding of her heart. She didn't have it in her to tell Arisa that the younger girl was mistaken – that Eli and she weren't the best of friends but rather a pair of strangers who have crossed paths only a handful of times.

But Nozomi didn't have much time to be alone with such thoughts for Arisa quickly started up a new branch of conversation and strung Nozomi along. They talked about everything and anything, though none of their conversations were quite as deep as the ones that Nozomi had shared with Eli. Arisa, in contrast with her sister, was adorably optimistic and insatiably curious about a wide variety of things. Nozomi found the whole experience rather refreshing.

It was when she was alone in a taxi after parting with the Ayase family that Nozomi did a single-card draw.

**{Judgement – a card signifying a change of sorts}**

Nozomi sighed. Had she blown it?

She shuffled through her deck and picked out the card bearing the symbol of _The Sun_. It was a card that signified an amazing partnership at hand, one that would bring great amounts of happiness and contentment only if one was brave enough to pursue it. Nozomi had only just become aware of the frequency at which this card had appeared to her throughout her time in Russia.

Did she just let an opportunity slip by?

Nozomi's hands curled up into fists for a brief moment before unclenching themselves. She breathed out a sigh of surrender. If she ever saw Ayase Eli again, it would be by the design of fate.

What else could she do now but move on with her life?

.

.

.

**1**

To say that she wasn't in the least bit disappointed would be lying.

She had spent her entire Saturday at the Open Campus event held by the University of Tokyo on Saturday despite knowing that she had not made the grades required to enrol in the university. She had been lingering around the campus in hopes of coming across a certain blonde that had been contemplating if she was Todai material. While Nozomi had resigned herself to the fact that any future meetings with Ayase Eli was by the work of the divine, she thought that it couldn't possibly hurt to increase her chances.

But it did. Not only did she fail to catch a glimpse of her target but was left with only half a day to settle into Waseda University's dormitories. By then, her new roommate – an aspiring super-idol by the name of Yazawa Nico – had claimed a large part of their shared territory under the impression that Nozomi was a no-show; Nozomi's unpacking was delayed with having to help her new roommate make Nozomi's side of the room inhabitable again.

Though Nozomi didn't breathe a word about it, her plans to check up on her family's apartment were foiled. Despite having chosen to live in an on-campus dormitory, Nozomi couldn't leave her apartment in an unkempt state knowing that her parents might drop by from time to time. Her plans to maintain the state of her family's apartment had been delayed by a week. Nozomi could only slip off to tend to it once she was done with freshman orientation, and that led to her bumping into a member of the occult appreciation club on the way back to her room.

This chance meeting, in turn, left Nozomi with a stack of fliers obscuring her vision as she made her way to the occult appreciation club's room. She was pretty convinced that asking random freshman for help in bringing the leftover flyers to the clubroom was a ploy of the occult appreciation club in a bid to raise their membership but Nozomi had decided to help out anyway; in spite of it all, her fascination in the divine and the supernatural was genuine. She thought that though she might not be enthusiastic about joining said club, Nozomi wouldn't mind helping them out from time to time.

She did, however, bite back a curse when she walked into someone along one of the corridors. The collision had sent the flyers toppling to the floor in a flurry, landing in whichever direction the wind took them. With a gasped apology for having not paid attention to her surroundings, the victim of Nozomi's carelessness had dropped on all fours in order to grab at the flyers scattered about.

Nozomi thought her heart might have skipped a beat.

"… Ericchi?"

The blonde seized up for a moment before looking up.

"Nozomi?"

"Ah! It really is you!" exclaimed Nozomi in her jubilation before propriety seized her.

"Don't worry about the posters, Ericchi," said Nozomi, getting on her knees to pick them up as well. "It was my fault for walking into you; I'm really sorry about my carelessness."

Eli waved her apology off, helping Nozomi collect the flyers anyway.

"I'm really glad to see you again, Ericchi, but why are you here?"

The Eurasian girl sent Nozomi a puzzled look. "I've decided to enrol here – why wouldn't I be here?"

"You rejected Todai?" asked Nozomi in surprise. Nobody in the right mind would reject Todai.

Eli merely shrugged in response before beginning a new line of conversation.

"The occult appreciation club, huh?" asked the girl with a good-natured grin on her face.

Nozomi shook her head, stating that she was only delivering the flyers to the clubroom on behalf of some senior that she had just bumped into. Eli then offered to accompany Nozomi there, taking half the load from the fortune-tellers hands.

Their journey to their destination was one filled with conversation. They were approaching the door of the room in question when Nozomi burst out in a giggle, garnering an alarmed look from Eli.

"I just realised that I've finally managed to greet Ericchi first this time around."

Nozomi's amusement over such a small detail had Eli laughing as well. It was the sight of Eli's carefree laughter that inspired Nozomi to seize the moment. Before her nerves could do her in, Nozomi asked:

"Ericchi, would you please allow me to treat you to parfaits some other time? It's to make up for having nearly knocked you over earlier."

Eli frowned in response.

"It was both our faults for not paying attention earlier, Nozomi," she insisted. "I'm not going to let you buy me the treat but I would love to have parfaits with you sometime soon."

"In that case," said Nozomi, fishing her mobile phone out of her bag, "can I please have Ericchi's number? As fun as it has been, I don't think I can stand leaving our meetings to chance and luck anymore."

With a smile, Eli obliged. She reached for Nozomi's phone and began tapping at the buttons.

A sense of relief and victory washed over Nozomi. It was sort of ridiculous how Nozomi finally succeeded in getting the digits of a stranger she met in Russia only when she was back home in Japan.

Later that night, when Nozomi was tucked in bed and reading herself to sleep, a single text message came in from an unknown number. It read:

**[Hello, stranger. Just thought I'd wish you a good night and fresh dreams. – Eli.]**

:::


End file.
